5000 Days
by ThatScreamingBread
Summary: Charla, a 7-year old in the town of Aquarine, decides to go on a trip to see a new town. The train changes course, and Charla winds up in a new world, a world without Aquarine. The journey takes many things from Charla: perseverance, self-reliance, and most of all, time. What will Charla do to make it back home and see her animal friends? More importantly, how long will it take?
1. Day 1

Today's the day! It's finally here!

I shoot up like a rocket out of my blue bed. The covers are all messed up, but I don't really care. I can just fix my bed after I get back from my trip. Leopold promised he'd keep watch for any cockroaches while I'm gone. Maybe he'll decide to make my bed, too. He always likes doing chores, he says it's a good workout.

I slip into my rugby dress and put on its matching hat. Blue and yellow are my absolute favorite colors. That's why my room is full of blue furniture. My parents always said I looked good in blue and yellow, too. They still sometimes send me gifts in the mail.

I rush out the door and immediately bump into Bob, Leopold, and Daisy. "Hey guys!" I chirp. "Good morning, Charla! It's a nice day out, isn't it? Bow-WOW!" Daisy replies, smiling. "How about a quick game of tag before you head off? It'll be fun!" Leopold suggests. "Awww, maaaan! It's like, not even nine yet! I'm still tired, pthhhpth," Bob complains. I giggle at my friend. "I'll be it, first! And my first victim is YOU!" I shout, tapping Leopold on the shoulder. Leopold looks up in surprise before adjusting his glasses and grinning wildly. "You're gonna regret that, Charla! I've run twenty marathons, lion cub! You'd better get a move on if you want to stay out of my reach!" He exclaims as Bob, Daisy, and I all take off running.

I soon realize I got split up from Daisy and Bob. Bob looked a little bit tired, but he quickly darted behind a nearby tree to hide and catch his breath. I'm not sure where Daisy is, but she probably outran Leopold. I run across the bridge and dash behind the Post Office. I listen with eager ears until I hear approaching footsteps. "Oh, Charla! You can't run, but you can hide!" I hear Leopold say. I hold my breath, hoping not to get caught. "Gotcha!" I feel his paw gently swipe me across the back. "Shoot," I mumble. Leopold guffaws and keeps running.

I know Leopold is really fast, and there's no way I can get him. I kinda want to, though. Tom's niece always tells me I can do whatever I want if I just try. I can't remember the last time she visited. I don't even remember her name. I just know she's super nice, but when she loses her toys, she gets really mean.

Wait a second, I need to stay focused. Leopold, Daisy, and Bob are all out there somewhere. I know where Bob is hiding, but I think I should give him a fair chance. I'll go find Daisy. She usually likes to be around flowers, so I should check out the flower garden by Tom Nook's shop.

I squint a little. I can kind of make out Daisy's figure up ahead. She looks like she's sniffing the flowers. "I'm gonna get you, Daisy!" I shout, and Daisy looks up. I think I startled her. There's a ladybug on her nose, and she begins running. She stops a second later to sneeze, the ladybug flying away to find another flower to land on. This is my chance! I speed up a bit and take her by surprise as she's still recovering from her sneeze. "Aww, you got me!" Daisy pouts, but she giggles a minute later. I turn back around and run. Oh, gosh. I can hear Daisy coming closer. I should probably try to lead her to Bob and get her off my trail.

Whoa, what is she doing? I slow down until I stop. Daisy is running in the complete opposite direction. I hear Bob give a surprised shout, and Daisy's giggling immediately after. I run over, and Leopold has apparently heard Bob's yell, too, because he comes running from the other direction to meet up with us. "Nooo! I can't believe you caught me while I was napping! Pthhhpth!" Bob mewls, clearly disappointed. "It's okay, Bob. You can tag me if you want." I offer, holding my hand out. Bob nods in agreement and pats my hand with his paw. "Thanks, Charla," He replies, smiling. "We should get you to the train station. It's almost 8:30, bow-WOW," Daisy tells me.

Leopold, Bob, Daisy, and I are all walking to the train station. I know I'll be gone for only a week, but I'll sure miss this place. I hope Port Sea is a nice town. Maybe they'll have a new kind of fruit. The apples here are totally delicious, but they get a little boring after awhile. Bob decided to give me some of the ones he'd picked the other day. One of them had a couple bites taken out of it, so I just decided to not eat the apple and use it to plant a new tree, instead. If I went to go look, I'm sure the tree would be a little shorter than me by now, but I don't have time. The train is due to arrive soon, so I keep walking alongside my friends.

The train hasn't arrived yet, but Porter is walking over to greet us. Even though it's early in the morning, he's as chipper as ever. "Good morning, everyone. I presume you're here to see Charla off before her trip to Port Sea?" He asks, smiling as he waits for a reply. We all nod. "Well, you shan't wait much longer, now. The train is almost here. It's scheduled to arrive in about two minutes or so," Porter explains.

"Daisy, you should give Charla her gift now, lion cub. She's going to need it at some point, I'm sure." Leopold says, and Bob nods in agreement. I look over at Daisy. Did she really get me a present for my trip? She reaches into her pockets and hands me a gift box with white wrapping paper and a bright red ribbon. It doesn't feel very heavy. I think I'll open it now.

"Oh, Daisy!" I exclaim, holding my gift. It's a beautiful light blue jacket with small yellow, pink, and orange flowers on the front of it. "It's beautiful," I grin, holding the jacket close to me. "Why don't you try it on? I'd love to see how you look in it," Daisy suggests. I nod and slip my arms through the sleeves. It's warm and really fuzzy. I tug the zipper up until my new jacket is secured around my tiny body. "I love it. Thank you so much, Daisy," I thank her. Daisy beams, and she pulls me in for a group hug. Leopold and Bob quickly join us. "Okay, guys. I'm getting a little squished," I say, laughing. One by one, we all pull out of the hug.

Daisy opens her mouth, but no words come out. She looks a little sad. "What's wrong?" I ask. Bob and Leopold give each other a look. I've seen that look before. My parents gave each other that look when they found out I was moving to Aquarine when I was six. Even though it happened about a year ago, I can still see the look on their faces.

"The truth is, Charla...I have something to tell you," Daisy begins. Suddenly, the train whistle sounds out, and the train slowly pulls into the station. "Charla, the train to Port Sea is ready to head out," Porter notifies me. I nod and turn back to my best friends. "Bow-WOW. Don't worry yourself, I'll tell you when you get back. Have fun on your trip!" Daisy smiles. Leopold and Bob give each other another look before we all embrace one last time. I approach Porter, who steps aside as the train door opens.

I climb up the steps and pick a nice seat in the middle of the boxcar. Even though they're worn down from countless years of travel, these seats are extremely comfy. The door slowly closes, and the train slowly starts to move. I look out the window and wave to my friends, who are giddily waving back.

Several hours go by. The train ride is actually getting a bit boring. I munch on one of the apples Bob had picked for me and look out at the scenery. The trees, signs, and fences are going by so fast I can hardly tell what's what. I finish up the apple and get up to toss the core in the trash can at the end of the boxcar.

I sit back down and watch the sun slowly set. It's still pretty light out, but the sky has an orange tint to it. I can tell that it'll only take another hour before the sun is fully below the horizon. It might be a good idea to rest for awhile, I sure don't want to stay up all night on the train and be tired tomorrow on my first day visiting Port Sea. I feel my eyelids grow heavy. I didn't realize how tired I was getting. Sleep slowly overtakes me until an announcement comes over the loudspeaker. "We are going through a tunnel, please be seated and expect darkness, as our lights are currently undergoing some technical difficulties."

I mindlessly nod and acknowledge the announcement. The boxcar suddenly goes dark, and I smile, slowly closing my eyes as I drift off to sleep. I can't wait to arrive at Port Sea.


	2. Day 8

Port Sea is amazing! There are so many friendly animals here. I made friends with a cat named Kitty, and there's a duck named Pompom who's also been super nice to me. I'm going to write to them when I go back to Aquarine. We can be pen pals.

This past week, I've been staying over at Kitty's house. It's really pretty and full of expensive furniture. It looks like it took forever to decorate. Kitty showed me around town and introduced me to some of her neighbors. I drew a picture of me, Daisy, Bob, and Leopold so she could see what my friends at home look like. Pompom sometimes comes over to play charades with us, and she usually brings cherry cupcakes.

Oh, man. That's another thing! The cherries here are de-lic-ious! I picked a few to bring back to Aquarine and plant. Apple trees are nice, but it would be great to have some cherry trees, too. Bob mentioned something about getting some cherries in the mail from his mom. I know he said they were really tasty, but I never thought they'd be this good.

Kitty and Pompom told me about another human living in this town. Apparently, it's another girl like me. Her name is Sevy, and she's the shy type, since she doesn't come out much.

We all head to the train station together. Kitty and Pompom tell me goodbye and head back to their houses. I step up to the monkey who's in charge of the train station. He looks kinda like Porter. Actually, he looks _just like_ Porter.

I shrug it off. It's no big deal. I'm sure there are lookalikes for everyone. "Hello, miss! Which train are you catching?" Porter's lookalike asks. "I'm going to take the train back to Aquarine, please." I say. He gives me a strange look. "Aquarine? Where would that be located?" He questions. "Well, I don't know. It's got to be on a map somewhere." I reply. "I'm sorry, but Aquarine doesn't exist. Perhaps you are thinking of Nyadreen?" He suggests.

"That's impossible. Aquarine is real, I live there," I argue. The monkey shakes his head. "I'm afraid not. Nyadreen is likely the town you are thinking of," He assumes. I decide to play along. "Alright, when's the next train to Nyadreen?" I ask.

The train suddenly pulls into the station, as if on cue. "There it is! I hope you have a safe trip!" Porter's lookalike smiles and steps out of the way so I can board the train.

As soon as I sit down, the door closes and the train starts rolling. I don't know why, but I feel a little uneasy. Maybe it's nothing. That monkey seemed a little confused. Aquarine is definitely a real town. Maybe it's all just a misunderstanding, and the town he thinks is Nyadreen is actually Aquarine.

But what if it's not a misunderstanding?

Well, I suppose I could extend my vacation for a bit. I could make more friends and find more fruit. I could tell my friends even more stories about my trip, and we'd have a great time.

About three hours go by. I'm ready to get off the train because it will be arriving in town in about five minutes. I'm really glad Daisy got me this jacket. This train is actually rather chilly. It's not the pleasant kind of chilly like on days it snows. On days it snows, the cold only makes things better. The snowball fights, the snow angels, and the snowmen building competitions only feel more special with the cold. After we go inside, Bob makes us hot chocolates, and it melts all the cold away until we feel nice and toasty.

Gosh, I can't wait to see my friends again.

The train pulls into town, and I step off the train expecting to be greeted by my three best friends.

No one is there.

No one except another lookalike of Porter.

"Now arriving in Nyadreen. Watch your step!" He warns, but smiles warmly. I smile back, but only to be polite. Where is Aquarine? Where am _I_?

When I look around, I notice that the town's greenery isn't green at all, but reddish-orange. Several bright red leaves flutter around in the wind. There's a small gust of wind that runs through my hair. I blink, not believing what I'm seeing. Nyadreen appears to be in the middle of Autumn. I shrug it off and exhale, trying to process what's going on. I'm so absorbed in my thoughts that I bump right into a tree. "Ow," I mumble, rubbing my head. A small, red object plummets from the tree and lands a few feet away from me. I walk over to it and squint. In the darkness before me is a cherry. While I love cherries, I'm a bit disappointed that it's not a new type of fruit that I can take back with me and plant in Aquarine, wherever it may be.

The fruit is the least of my worries right now, though. I need to find out where Aquarine is, and why it's not in any of the train station records. Maybe I could ask some of the locals if they know anything about my town?

I walk back towards the train station and take a look over the map posted on the bulletin board. I scan the map until I find the police station. I should go there first and get a map of my own so I can navigate the town easier. Mom always told me to get a map of a town or find a local before trying to explore on my own. But then again, Leopold always says that it's more fun to figure out how to get through a place by yourself than rely on a map.

Sorry, Leopold, but I should take mom's advice this time. She wants me to be safe, and I should listen to her.

I take another quick glance over at the map and memorize the location of the police station. Maybe I could ask the policemen what they know about Aquarine?

As I walk through the town, I begin to feel uneasy again. I think something has gone wrong, but I just don't know what.


	3. Day 32

I'm a little scared. None of the locals in this town seem to know anything about Aquarine. When I got to the police station, the first thing I realized was that the policemen there looked exactly like Copper and Booker. First Porter, now the two dogs?

I haven't been socializing with anyone lately. I'm too scared of what's going on to find anything to talk about. I haven't made any friends, and I haven't got a place to stay. I usually sleep outside underneath an old cherry tree by the town well. I've eaten all the apples that Bob picked for me, so now I'm pretty much living off cherries. They're delicious, but it gets kind of boring having to eat cherries for every meal. I really wish I hadn't taken apples for granted. Dad always says to cherish the simple things in life because you'll miss it when it's gone. I didn't know what he meant back then, but now I do.

I'm thinking of leaving this town in a couple days. I've been here about three weeks, and I think that's long enough. I don't have any friends to leave behind here, and I don't have anything to do, so I can just pick a day to travel and get back on the train to try and find Aquarine again.

I know I've said this before, but I'm REALLY glad Daisy gave me this jacket. It's freezing out here, and it helps keep my upper half warm. Unfortunately, this town doesn't sell pants. None of the animals here wear pants, so they don't sell any at the shop.

There's not much to do for fun in this town. Back in Aquarine, I used to play soccer with Bob, Leopold, and Daisy. Leopold always kept a soccer ball in his yard, and we'd punt the ball around for a bit.

In Nyadreen, I play soccer, but it's much different.

I play soccer alone with a half-deflated ball in the cold, dark forest.

Mom and dad tried to sign me up for girl scouts so I could learn camping skills like tying knots, pitching tents, and starting fires. I really wish I didn't say no, because I could really use a sturdy tent to keep me safe from the wind and a crackling fire to keep me warm at night.

I shiver a bit. It's not uncommon for me to shiver, but it seems especially cold tonight. I don't want to stay awake through all this and have to deal with the cold biting at my skin all night. I take my jacket off and lie down, wrapping it around my body like a blanket. I have a blanket at my house. My mom knitted it for me and sent it to me in the mail. She used yellow fabric because she knew it would go with my blue and yellow furniture in the house. The jacket is bringing me back to memories of my town and what I miss most about it, yet the it is keeping me warmer than usual. The little multicolored flowers sewn into the fabric are telling me that I'll be okay, but I still can't shake this uneasy feeling I've had for so long now.

I shiver some more. The cold is creeping all over me, but I'm starting to feel sleepy. I mindlessly mumble something that I can't even understand and drift off to sleep.

When I wake up, I'm soaked. I can hear a hushing sound and I can feel droplets of water beating down on my face. I can tell it's raining even though I haven't even opened my eyes yet.

I get up and wring out my waterlogged jacket before putting it back on. I run through the forest to seek cover from the rain. I can see the train station up ahead a bit. I run towards it, the muddy ground splashing beneath my feet.

I make it just when I think my legs are about to give out. I keel over and gasp to catch my breath, quickly squeezing the droplets of water out of my hair and dress. I readjust my hat and sit down in the center of the train station. The roof of the station is perfect cover from the rain.

When I think about it, the train would be even better cover from the rain.

I walk up to Porter's lookalike and tell him I'm going to the town of Aquarine. He gives me a strange look. I can already tell this is going to go over exactly like it did last time I asked. I quickly tell him I misspoke, and I meant the town of Queenton, the name of a town I had seen on the train system's map.

The monkey nods and smiles. As I expected, the train immediately comes bellowing into the train station, slowing to a stop and eventually opening its door. I walk up the stairs and take my seat. The door closes, and the train sets off. I'm beginning to notice a pattern here, a pattern that doesn't involve me going home to Aquarine.

The uneasy feeling is still haunting me, but I know I'll go home at some point. I know Aquarine isn't a nonexistent town. I know Aquarine wasn't all a dream. I have Daisy's jacket as proof. The jacket is what's keeping me focused right now. I need to get home to Aquarine to find my friends, my house, everything.

Oh, man. I'm sure my friends are worried sick about me by now. I was supposed to be home three weeks ago. Daisy is probably fretting about, making 'Have you seen me?' posters with Bob, and Leopold is probably jogging around town pinning them to anything he can find.

I feel helpless. I wish I could somehow speak to them and tell them I'm alright. I wish I could just find Aquarine and go home. I'm tired of traveling, I want my town back.


	4. Day 337

I know I'll find Aquarine again, just not any time soon.

Everywhere I go, everyone I ask says they've never heard of Aquarine. I tell them it's a real town with real animals living there, but none of them want to believe me. I'm just an eight year old girl who popped up in town one day.

I'm really getting tired of this routine. It's been, at the very least, eleven months since I've been home. I've sort of slacked off on my fruit collection. So far, I've managed to collect cherries, pears, and apples, but Aquarine already has apples, I ate all the cherries, and the pears went rotten.

The town I've been staying in for the past three months is called Redville. It's got apple trees all over, so I can see how it got its name. The apples taste surprisingly good, but they don't taste nearly as good as Aquarine's.

Bob would probably kill to be in my position right now. He'd get to travel to towns all over and sample fruits of all kinds. I'm sure he would enjoy it, but he'd eventually get homesick just like me.

Redville is a nice little town, but the folks here aren't very friendly. The only one who was kind enough to try and reach out to me was a bull named Stu. He kind of reminds me of Bob, but he seems oblivious.

Stu is probably the one I've talked to the most in the past ten months, only outmatched by Kitty and Pompom. I know I stayed with them back when I was visiting Port Sea, but I'm actually starting to forget what they looked like.

I'm starting to forget what my friends back in Aquarine looked like, too.

I don't remember what the town itself looked like. I know we had apple trees. The houses around mine were empty. One had a green roof, the other had a red roof, the third had an orange roof, and mine had a yellow roof. When I saw the yellow roof on the house, I knew I wanted it.

The debt and expansions weren't easy to pay off. It took many hours of fishing, fruit-picking, bug-catching, and seashell collecting. I also did favors for some of the neighbors, which is how I met Bob, Leopold, and Daisy.

The memories hurt to think about, but they also help me relax. I can feel the tension in my body just melt away at the mere thought of all the good times in Aquarine. The past is in the past, but it stays in the mind.

I miss the days where I had a nice, warm house with good friends around me. I miss the days where I wasn't constantly traveling on a rickety old train and sleeping on the cold, hard ground at night.

My birthday was a few days ago. I can't remember when, but I know it was a few days ago. I'm sure my parents know that I'm missing by now, because I promised I'd send them some letters on my birthday. Bob, Daisy, and Leopold have probably contacted everyone they could get a hold of to try and find me, but I know that it just won't work. They should just stop searching. I can try to find my own way back. It might take a few more months, but I know I'll go back home someday.

I'm still really confused. Why am I lost? Where did Aquarine go? It can't just disappear. There has to be a way back.

I know Aquarine is real, but no one in any of the towns I've been to have any knowledge whatsoever of it.

Am I going crazy? I don't think I am. Am I? I don't think I am, but there's a good possibility.

Maybe Aquarine isn't real. Maybe I'm just crazy. Still, a crazy person wouldn't have any control over their thoughts, so I must not be.

I look down at my jacket. The fabric has gotten pretty dirty from all the sleeping on the ground I've been doing, but I can still kinda see the multicolored flowers sewn onto the front of my jacket. It was originally light blue, but now it looks sort of copper blue from all the dirt.

My shoes are pretty scuffed up as well. They're covered in mud and dirt from many nights of running to the train station to escape the rain. I can tell my shoes are slowly falling apart, and it's any day now before the soles fall clean off!

The only clothing article I have that isn't completely caked with dirt is my rugby dress, and even that isn't squeaky clean. There's a ring of dirt circling the dress where it isn't covered by my jacket. Otherwise, the dress is practically pristine.

I think I could use some new clothes soon. My dress is getting a little smaller as I'm growing, my hat barely fits on my head, and my toes are constantly being squashed together in my shoes. And of course, not to mention all the dirt that's built up on my clothes.

The only thing I'm keeping is my jacket. It's probably the last thing of home I have on me right now. Plus, even though it's getting worn down, it's still super warm and comfy.

I could probably make do without new clothes for a couple more months because I don't seem to be growing too quickly. My hair has gotten a bit out of control, though. I should probably cut it soon.

I'm not sure when I'll leave Redville. Probably at some point next week. I'll be sure to tell Stu goodbye and remember him fondly as one of the few friends who's been there for me on my journey to find my home again.


	5. Day 2556

This town is kind of nice, I guess. Not much to complain about except that it's not Aquarine.

The fish are pretty active here, though. It's fun to reel them in and cast them back out. I should probably take it easy on the fishing for a while, though. My homemade fishing rod isn't very sturdy, and it looks like it's on the verge of breaking.

Wait, I have to try one more time. This time for real. I need to catch a fish. I hold the fishing rod firmly in my hands, which have been scarred from extensively shaking trees. I gently tilt it back and quickly wave it forward, the bob landing in the calm lake with a splash. I wait patiently, and about two minutes later, I feel a couple nibbles on the bob. I put my hand on the reel and wait for a bite. The fish quickly chomps on the hook, and I reel it in with ease. It looks to be a cherry salmon. It doesn't matter what it is as long as it's a fish.

I march back to the northern reaches of town and stop in front of a small, mint-colored house. I knock on the door and enter, gently closing the door behind me.

Mitzi the cat waits patiently for my fishy delivery by the door. I hand her the cherry salmon, which she accepts wholeheartedly. "Thank you ever so much! You've been so gracious to get me a pet fish, and I'd like to show my appreciation. Here's 473 bells," Mitzi handed me a bag of the bells, and I accepted it. "I'll remember you next time I need help. Mew!" I nod. I'm about to leave, but Mitzi stops me. "If you want more where that came from, you should go sell some of the fish you catch to Tom Nook. He'd surely buy them up in a snap," She explains. I pause. "Tom Nook?" I redundantly ask.

Tom Nook. I remember him. He was the shopkeeper in Aquarine. He was the one who sold me my house. "Where is he located?" I question. "His shop is up in acre A-5. You can't miss him. Mew." Mitzi replies, smiling. I thank Mitzi and run out of her house to Nook's shop.

"Ah, Charla! It's been quite some time, hm? What can I do for you today?" Tom Nook asks. I blink. Tom Nook remembers me? "You remember me?" "Of course! Ah, yes. I remember you just fine, Charla. Tell me, when do you plan to return to Aquarine?" I choke on my words. My mind goes blank. "I don't know how. I've been traveling around on a train for about seven years. None of the towns I've been to have anyone who knows anything about Aquarine," I explain. Tom Nook chuckles. "I'd almost forgotten that some animals don't seem to remember a thing about the Slot Cards." He smiles as if he's bringing back a memory. "You see, every so often, a train will go off course. It will, in a way, take its own trip. This can only be done by going through a certain tunnel that just so happens to be at the outskirts of Aquarine, yes, yes."

"You say...a certain tunnel? How often does this happen?" I inquire. "Oh, not often at all. Why, it's got about a one in three hundred chance of occurring, you see. I suppose you were just a special case, otherwise you wouldn't be on Slot Card B," He smiles warmly.

"What are Slot Cards?" I ask. I feel unintelligent and insignificant for asking so many questions, but I need answers, and I need them now.

Tom Nook chuckles some more. "There are two Slot Cards: Slot Card A, and Slot Card B. The Slot Cards are...well, realms, if you will. Slot Card A contains records of all the towns that ever were, and is where Aquarine is kept. It contains all the records of all the citizens, trees, purchases, house upgrades, and museum donations. Everything that ever occurred or appeared in Aquarine is all stored in Slot Card A," He explains. "And Slot Card B?" "Slot Card B is...well, an alternate realm. It is the realm that contains the records of every town in existence except Aquarine. That is why you cannot find answers from anyone else, Charla. It is because the knowledge of Aquarine is beyond their mental capacity," He concludes.

"Why is that one particular tunnel the cause of the train derailing into Slot Card B?" I query. "Let me sum it up for you. Water pipes are connected, yes? Water flows through those pipes, and they are all tightly joined to prevent any water from escaping. It all just flows through in a perfect, never-ending cycle. Sometimes, the pipes burst, and the water escapes. Now, take what I have just told you, and apply it to the train paths and the tunnel," Tom Nook says. "So if I'm correct, the tunnel is some kind of conjunction that prevents Slot Card A and Slot Card B from mixing, and it just so happens that the train I was on experienced an error of sorts in the tunnel?" Tom Nook nods, and I realize my hypothesis is correct.

"Who...who else knows about all this?" I ask, befuddled. "Just a select few of us: me, my dear friend Rover, and Resetti." "Who's Resetti?" I ask. "He's...oh, nevermind. It would be too complicated to explain. At any rate, Resetti is the one who can help you get back to Aquarine," Tom Nook informs me. "That's great! Where do I find him?" "Head to the train station. Look around for a loose tile on the ground, lift it up, and descend using the ladder provided," Tom Nook explains. "You can do it, Charla. I know you can. Just be careful, hm?"

I don't know who Resetti is. I've never heard of him before until now. I don't really want to go underground, but _damn,_ do I want to go home.

I look down at myself as I exit Nook's shop. My wardrobe has really changed from what it used to be. I used to wear that childish rugby dress with the matching hat, and those little red pumps that pinched my feet. Now I wear some loose jeans and sturdy hiking boots, a white V-neck, and I abandoned my conical hat altogether. The only thing about my outfit that hasn't changed is the jacket Daisy gave me before I left Aquarine. It's suffered through many moons of lying on the ground. I washed it in the rivers once every month, and it's kinda starting to look light blue again. The pink, orange, and yellow flowers sewn into the fabric still look a bit musty, but it's to be expected. The sleeves of the jacket had been coming apart at the seams for years until one day they both just fell off entirely. I made the torn-off sleeves into legwarmers for when my jeans weren't enough to keep my legs safe from the cold.

I've been wanting answers for so long, and now that I've finally got them, I think I'm one step closer to going home.


	6. Day 2557

**A/N: It's been a while, I know. And I'm sorry. I've just been crazy busy lately, and you honestly should be pretty glad I'm just now releasing this chapter (meanwhile my Skyrim fanfiction readers have died from waiting too long). There's been some question as to how Charla's name is pronounced, so I just want to say that it's not pronounced Shar-LUH, it's not pronounced Char-LUH, it's pronounced Car-LUH, like Carla, but it has a silent 'h' in the middle.**

You know something funny? I tend to forget dates a lot. Like my mom and dad's wedding anniversary. I know it's some time in April, but I can never seem to remember what exact day it is.

But I remember today. February 6th.

Now, you may think that today was some kind of special occasion. Maybe the first time I rode a bike, or my birthday, or something corny like that. But it isn't.

Today, February 6th, is the day I left Aquarine to visit Port Sea. It happened seven years ago today.

That morning when I left and bid my friends adieu, I was seven years old, innocent, inexperienced, and oblivious. Now I'm thirteen, fourteen in about a month.

There's another date I remember, my birthday. March 10th. It would be nice if I could make it home in time for my birthday, but I suppose that would be _too_ lucky, wouldn't it?

I stop and remember Tom Nook's instructions. When I got up this morning, I had forgotten all about them, but now I can think clearly again. I just need to find a loose tile on the ground at the train station. How hard could it be?

I push myself off the ground and put my jacket back on. Sleeping on this jacket is comfortable, but if I want it to last, I should probably stop. I tug the zipper up until my jacket covers my abdomen, and I trudge through the snowy forest until I can spot the train station. I scurry over and scamper up the steps, pausing when I notice that all the tiles look mostly identical.

Dammit. Why did I have to jinx it?

I decide to root around and look for any tiles that seem to lack sturdiness. I find a few, but they're more sturdy than they appear, and it's impossible to pull them up from the ground.

I kick around for a bit and listen as I do so, hoping to hear any sounds of hollowness. Porter's lookalike is glancing at me sort of funny. I don't think he likes what I'm doing, but he gives me an awkward smile when he sees I've caught him staring.

If what Tom Nook told me is true, isn't there a lookalike of everyone? In every town, there have been animals who look just like Porter, Copper, Booker, the two porcupine tailors, and I've even seen some of the other villagers more than once in different towns. At the time, I thought they had merely moved. I guess not.

A disturbing thought creeps into my mind. If there are lookalikes of all these animals, could there be a lookalike of me as well? There very well could be. What if she's back in Aquarine with my friends, and they haven't a clue that the real me is out lost somewhere?

I push the thoughts out of my head when I hear a hollow sound beneath one of the tiles. I silently cheer, and I quickly stoop down to pry it off. It's a good thing I got rid of my old nail-biting habit, because I wouldn't be able to pry the tile off as easily without my nails.

After about ten seconds, the tile pops free, and beneath it is a ladder that leads downwards into the hole. Porter's lookalike is still looking at me, but he shrugs and looks away a couple seconds later.

I climb down the ladder, almost slipping several times. Why the hell are the steps so slippery? Must be all the water dripping down from the ground-level. I guess there's only so much snow the ground can hold before it bursts into caves like these.

I'm startled when my foot, instead of touching another ladder step, touches the ground, but I quickly recompose myself. It's really dark in here. I wait for my eyes to get used to the dark, and I can kind of make out the silhouette of a door nearby. I inch over, carefully scouting the area by moving my feet around before stepping anywhere. I wouldn't want to trip over something, after all.

My hand meets the metal of the doorknob, and I gently pull down on it.

"Hello?" I meekly call out, hoping Resetti is home. I don't know who he is or why he lives in this creepy, pitch-black cave underground, but if he can help me get back home to Aquarine and my friends, I'm ready to meet him.

"Hey! Who's there?!" A voice shouts, nearly scaring me out of my skin. "Umm...m-my name is Charla. Tom Nook told me you could help me get back to my hometown, Aquarine," I say.

The darkness in the room is soon exiled by a single candle that has been lit. Even though it's across the room, I can see a lot better in the cave. The floor looks to be made of green tiling. The walls, from what I can see, are a light beige, and by the candle is a mole sitting in a big, fluffy recliner. "Are you Resetti?" I question. The mole grunts and nods. Well, at least now I know why I had to go into a cave to meet him.

He flicks on the light on his yellow helmet and appears to be looking me over. "I ain't never caught you resettin' anything before, have I?" He asks me, though it sounds as if he's asking himself. I shake my head anyway.

"Well, alright, kid. What's the problem?" He asks, crossing his arms and leaning back in the recliner. "According to Tom Nook, the train I was on moved from Slot Card A to Slot Card B, and now I'm stuck here without a way to get back," I answer, hoping he's got an easy solution. He squints as if he's just dropped a piece of food on the floor and is debating on whether or not he should pick it back up and eat it. "You know about the Slot Cards?" I nod. "Tom Nook informed me just yesterday. Had we been discussing this prior to my encounter with him, I'd be clueless," I add.

"Well, y'see here, kid, it ain't easy movin' people from Slot Card to Slot Card. Not impossible, but it just ain't easy," Resetti drawls. "So you're saying you _can_ get me back to Slot Card A?" I ask, hopeful that his response will be a positive one. He nods, and I feel my heart speed up. "Tell me what I need to do. I'll do anything to get back home," I plead.

Resetti nods in understanding. "In order to complete the Ultimate Reset, I'm going to need some very specific things," He begins. "Like?" "A coelacanth, a stringfish, and a giant beetle," He concludes.

Wow. I'm pretty sure my jaw just hit the floor. Despite my shock, I nod profusely. It won't be easy, but I'll eventually round up all those creatures.


	7. Day 2558

I've heard of those critters before. _Giant beetle. Stringfish. Coelacanth._ I've never actually seen them before, and I have no idea where to find them.

Thankfully though, I've got my friend Mitzi to help me out.

 _Friend._ It's been awhile since I've referred to anyone I've met in my travels as my friend. Pompom and Kitty were friends, no doubts are had about that. What about Stu? I'm not sure. All he did was come by and talk to me because no one else would. Now that I actually think about it, that's _exactly_ what a friend would do. So sure, I guess Pompom, Kitty, and Stu were, and technically still are, my friends. And now, I have Mitzi to add to my collection of pals I've encountered.

Man, I need to socialize more.

Last night was warmer than usual. The snow seemed to melt a bit overnight, which was kind of inconvenient, because when I awoke, my clothes were soaked. I pushed myself off the ground, squeezed my clothes out to let all the water drip free, and I made like a nut and bolted over to Mitzi's place. Now I'm just waiting for her to wake up. I don't want to be rude and barge in while she's still sleeping.

When her lights go on, I know she's awoken. I knock on the door and quickly invite myself inside and out of the rain that's pouring down on my head.

"Charla? What's the matter? You look awfully stressed," Mitzi's face contorts with worry for my well being, and the white and blue cat hops off her chair to come and see me. I shake my head reassuringly and approach her bookcase. "Do you have any fish and bug glossaries in here?" I ask, looking up at the tall bookcase with arrays of books shelved neatly inside. "You mean encyclopedias?" She corrects, and I nod. "I think I have one. What do you need to find?"

"I'm trying to catch a coelacanth, stringfish, and a giant beetle," I say, and Mitzi's face goes from calm to shocked in an instant. "But-why? I mean, I know they're worth quite a good bit of bells, but...oh, I suppose I just answered my own question, didn't I? Mew!" She giggles, reaching up to take the glossy encyclopedia from the bookcase. How did she know which book was the encyclopedia? Every book is so...similar, and she's so meticulous about her organization. I shake the curiosities out of my head and walk over to her.

She sets it on the table and flips through the pages with her paws until she reaches the end of the fish section. There, in all its glory, is a picture of a coelacanth, and right beneath is is the stringfish.

"It says here the coelacanth can be caught year-round in the ocean when there's some form of precipitation coming down, mew," Mitzi informs me. I feel part of the weight lifted from my shoulders. I know coelacanths are rare, but at least they can be caught year round.

"And the stringfish can be caught from 4pm-9am in wintry months like December until February, and they can only be caught in rivers," She adds. Oh, hell. I think it's safe to say it's a bit too late to catch a stringfish this month; the snow is already starting to melt.

I mask my disappointment and nod. "How about the giant beetle?" "It's found on trees in July until August, from 11pm-8am," Mitzi continues.

Goddamn it!

Why is nothing going my way? The only one of those things I _can_ catch is the coelacanth, and even _that_ might take a long time.

I thank Mitzi for her help and exit the house. I pull my fishing rod out of my pockets and march towards the ocean. It's still raining, but it doesn't look like it will stay that way for long, so I'd better hurry up and try to catch a coelacanth.

I stumble halfway to the ground, but I pick myself up. I should really be more careful. The rain is only making what's left of the snow more slippery than it already is. I scurry over to the beaches. The sand is moist, and I can feel my shoes splashing into it. I really hope I don't get any sand in my shoes or my socks, because that's probably the most annoying thing to deal with on top of having to live in the forest and sleep in the cold.

I see several shadows lurking in the ocean tides. One in particular immediately catches my eye. It's enormous. Whatever this thing is, it could be a coelacanth, or at the very least, a really valuable fish I could sell.

It doesn't appear to be moving. I'm beginning to question as to whether this thing is even alive or not. Would Tom Nook still buy a dead fish? Would he pay as much for it? It doesn't really matter. I need to see if this thing is a coelacanth. Now that I've got it in my head, the only way to get it out is to catch the damn thing.

I inhale deeply and exhale, steadily casting my line into the water. The rain pitter-patters all around me, leaving thousands of tiny ripples in the beautifully blue water.

I suddenly feel that my hook is caught on something. My eyes follow the line towards where the hook is submerged, and I see the giant shadow lurking underneath it. I smile and begin to reel in my prize, but then I quickly find myself struggling. Why the hell isn't my line moving?

I then realize that my hook is stuck.

I curse under my breath and reel in with all my might. I tug back as hard as I can, and I can sort of feel the hook slowly rising back up. I heave again, the hook beginning to ease up a bit more. Once more, I tug back on the fishing rod and put my entire upper body strength into doing so.

The hook flies free.

And attached to it is a gigantic rubber tire. The hook and the tire are both flying.

Right.

Towards.

 _Me._

"Oh shi-"


	8. Day 4748

Something's awfully wrong. I haven't the faintest idea what it could be, though.

My eyes open. It feels really, really strange. It feels like my eyes have been crusted shut and closed for years and years.

"You're awake," Someone quietly gasps. I look over weakly to see Mitzi sitting in a chair nearby with a bright orange book in her paws. Wow. Is it just me, or does Mitzi look considerably older? She closes the book and sets it on the minitable next to her before walking over to me.

When I look down, I realize that I'm lying down in a bed. I think this is Mitzi's bed. Am I in Mitzi's house? Oh, what a stupid question. If Mitzi is here, and I'm in her bed, then this is obviously her house. When did I get so spacey, and why does everything about this feel so surreal? "What happened? Why am I here?" I ask, disoriented.

Mitzi opens her mouth to speak, but instead sighs and gives a sympathetic smile. "You've been in a coma for six years, Charla," She explains.

I feel my world slow and come to a complete stop.

Coma?

 _Six years?_

I remain silent for a good three minutes and let everything sink in. Is that why it feels so weird to have my eyes open? Is that why I feel so weak? As I think to myself, Mitzi patiently waits until I come to my senses.

"Mitzi, what happened?" I ask again.

"I saw you fishing from my window. You fished up a gigantic tire," She begins. I nod. "That's right. I remember that part," I say. "Mew. Well, the tire hit you pretty hard over the head. _Really hard._ You actually flew back upon impact and your head was bleeding pretty bad," She frowns, recalling the incident.

"Oh," I mumble, unable to think of anything else to say. "But that's not all. The monstrosity of the tire wasn't done yet, mew. You rolled down the beach just as I was running out of the house to come help you, and the waves swallowed you up. I had to get Copper and Booker to come and rescue you," She added.

"I didn't think Copper could swim," I commented aloud. She shook her head. "He can't. Booker saved you."

 _Booker_ saved me? Did I hear that right? Booker, the shy, soft-spoken, socially awkward policeman who always doubted himself and his abilities, actually had the courage to save me?

"Booker rescued me?" I ask, still shocked. Mitzi nods. "I...I never thought he had it in him," I smiled, grateful for Booker's bravery.

I suddenly think to ask what month it is. "It's April 18th. You've still got time to catch a coelacanth, but you still need to wait a few more months before the stringfish come out," She explains. I nod. "Of course, of course."

Mitzi's face suddenly becomes pained. "Every day, I was afraid you wouldn't wake up. Every night, I would make sure you were breathing, and if you took too long to inhale, I would panic and feel around for your heartbeat until I could feel a pulse, or you breathed in," She explains, clutching her paws together tightly.

"I'm so sorry you spent all this time worrying about me," I apologize, tears filling my eyes. I'm not sure if these tears are of the joy of being alive, sadness of the situation, or both. "Don't be, mew. I'm just so glad you're alright," Mitzi smiles, tears filling her eyes as well, and she leans over to pull me into a hug.

I let out a heart-wrenching sob. All these years of holding in tears have taken their toll on me, and now I can just let everything out. Mitzi rubs my back soothingly and purrs what sounds like a lullaby in my ear. If she's trying to calm me down, she's actually doing a surprisingly good job.

It's safe to say I fully trust Mitzi to let her know about my adventure.

"I need to tell you something," I begin. She nods. I find it funny how such a simple sentence leads to such a complex story.

I half-expect Mitzi to awkwardly laugh me off or outright tell me she doesn't believe me, just like all the others I've told about my journey. Instead, she stays quiet and listens, only speaking up to ask an occasional question or two, which I answer truthfully.

"You're done living in the forest, Charla. After all these years of all this hardship and struggle, you don't deserve anymore nights out in the cold world without a roof over your head," Mitzi tells me.

 _She believes me._

If I had anymore tears, I would be sobbing from the painfully satisfying relief that just washed over me.

"I'll do whatever I can to help you get back to your town and your friends, mew."

It's raining outside. Perfect weather conditions for the coelacanths to come out and play.

My feline friend helps me get dressed. She offers me a brand new shirt because I appear to have grown a bit in the abdominal area. I start to question what she means when I look down and notice my chest is considerably bigger. I remember my mother mentioning that this happens to all young women when they start to grow up. I accept the shirt and slip it on, and I quickly put the jacket Daisy gave me on over it. It's a bit snug, but miraculously, it still fits.

Mitzi accompanies me to the beach and watches with eager eyes as I cast my line out.

The hook quickly sinks, a quiet splash sounding out against thousands of other splashes caused by the glistening raindrops that plummet from the sky in cascades. A fish of some kind has already chomped on it, and now it's time for me to make my move.

I reel in the hook, and I can feel the fish at the other end putting up a fight.

I briefly glance at Mitzi's big, kindhearted eyes, and she nods reassuringly with a smile that tells me she believes in me.

I pull back with all my might, and right before my eyes is a big, blue coelacanth flopping around on the hook.

Mitzi and I slowly look over at each other, enormous smiles plastered on our faces. I think this is where my luck is finally going to take a turn for the better.


	9. Day 4999

The stringfish wiggles around on the line before I tuck the slimy fish in my pockets. I can still feel it flopping around with the coelacanth, and I can feel the skittering of the giant beetle, but I ignore it and focus on my accomplishment. Mitzi and I are beyond thrilled. "Mew! What luck! I was right about there being only a few stringfish left this month," Mitzi exclaims, still overjoyed about our task finally coming to completion. "I still can't believe it took all winter to catch one. I'm just glad we did, though," I reply, still aghast from the whiff of good luck.

"What do we have to do next?" Mitzi queries. I stumble over my words and pull myself into deep thought. I can remember the guy's name...Resetti. I have to speak to Resetti...in his cave beneath the train station. "I need to go to the train station, look for a loose tile, and meet the mole who lives in the cave beneath it," I explain, and we quickly find ourselves trotting through the town until we reach the train station.

I suddenly realize that I've forgotten where the loose tile was located. "Oh, hell no," I mumble under my breath. "What's wrong?" Mitzi asks, concern on her caring face. "I don't remember where the loose tile is," I reply, frowning. Mitzi giggles and leads me over to a specific tile before baring her claws and prying it from the ground with ease. I look to her for an explanation of how she knew where it was. "I used to play with this tile all the time as a kitten, it was sort of a hobby I had!" She giggles.

I peer down the dark hole. The ladder is still intact, even if it looks rickety and unstable. It's probably still slippery, seeing as the snow is still melting into the ground. "I'll go first," I say, gently feeling around with my foot until it safely touches the first step of the ladder. I climb down slowly, Mitzi joining me a few seconds later. I look down just as I'm about to reach the ground, and my foot makes contact with the dirt of the floor.

I had forgotten how dark it was in here. "There's a door in here somewhere, can you look for it?" I request, remembering that animals have better night vision than humans. "Sure I can, mew! Right this way," Mitzi grasps my hand in her paw and leads me over to the door. I hear the doorknob jiggle as she opens the door, and we both step into the room of darkness. The creaky door slowly closes on its own, startling us both when it slams against the frame.

"Whaddaya want? Whozzere? Cantcha see I'm busy tryin' to catch up on my book?!" The familiarly grumpy voice of Resetti calls out. Well, he hasn't changed a bit.

"It's me, Charla. I've brought back the things you asked me to," I reply, reaching into my pockets. Resetti mumbles something I can't understand and he lights a nearby candle before flicking on the light of his helmet. He looks me up and down before he decides to look Mitzi over as well. "I see you brought a friend," He muses. I nod. Resetti shrugs and beckons me closer.

One by one, I pull out the coelacanth, giant beetle, and last but not least, the stringfish. He accepts them wholeheartedly and holds them all in his arms as if he's about to pull them into a group hug.

What he does next, I don't expect.

 _He_ _gobbles them up whole, all at the same time._

The three creatures I spent ages trying to retrieve, gone in an instant.

Resetti, content with his meal, wipes his mouth off on his sleeve as Mitzi and I gawk in disbelief. "That sure hit the spot," He says, leaning back in his recliner. "What the hell was that for?" I inquire, unable to think of anything else to say.

He sits up with a grumble. "Well, I asked you to get me these three things before I send you back, didn't I?" He asks rhetorically. "So...so...so you were sending me out to get your _groceries?_ " I ask, the disbelief apparent in my voice. Resetti gives a resigned shrug. "Well, when you put it that way, yeah. I was askin' you to get my groceries," He chuckles.

"You...you fucking asshole!" I shout, and Mitzi gasps. Resetti furrows his brow and frowns. "Watch yer language, little miss! I'm still sending you home, so keep yourself together!" He scolds me. I briefly consider apologizing for my harsh choice of words, but I bite my tongue and keep silent. I almost died because of this dick and his absurdly difficult request. Quite frankly, he doesn't deserve an apology.

"Well," He begins, hopping up from his fluffy recliner. "It's time to get you back onto Slot Card A." "Wait!" I suddenly call out, surprising both Mitzi and Resetti. "At least let us say goodbye," I request, giving Resetti my best sad eyes. I would sometimes use sad eyes on my parents as a kid when I wanted a cookie or a lollipop before dinner. It worked every time, but I had to use it sparingly. Resetti looks like he's about to say no, but he backs off and gives a nod of approval.

I turn to Mitzi, tears streaming down my face. "Mitzi, thank you so much for everything you've done for me," I smile, placing my hands on her shoulders. The fluffy fur of Mitzi's face is streaked with salty tears as well. "Go home, Charla. Go home and remember me fondly, as I will remember you," Mitzi says, smiling as the tears dribble down onto the ground. "You'll always be my friend, Mitzi. No matter what Slot Card the two of us are on," And with those words, we pull each other in for a long embrace. I never did handle goodbyes well.

Resetti looks half-disgusted but half-moved by the scene unfolding before him. "Time to go," He announces, and Mitzi and I separate. "Hop up in the recliner and get yourself strapped in nice and tight, then I'll send you off," He instructs me, and I obey.

I find myself wiggling around in the recliner trying to find a comfortable position until I'm satisfied, and I quickly strap myself into the chair. Resetti pulls a remote from the pocket of his overalls and presses a button. I hear machinery whirring behind me, and I crane my head enough to see a giant hatch opening, revealing a brightly-lit tunnel behind it.

"Goodbye, Mitzi."

"Goodbye, Charla. Good luck."

Resetti presses another button, and it feels like an enormous gorilla is sitting on my chest. I realize that the recliner is zipping backwards at inhuman speeds, and I suddenly start to feel dizzy. My eyelids slowly descend, and despite my efforts to keep them open, my eyes close entirely.


	10. Day 5000

"Now arriving in Aquarine, watch your step! Eek eek!"

Those are the words I've been waiting to hear Porter say for the past thirteen years.

Damn, thirteen years. It's been forever. I've spent more than half my life trying to get back to a town I lived in for only a year, but the satisfaction I'm feeling right now is more than worth it.

I wonder if my friends will recognize me. I wonder if they're even still here.

If they're not here, I think I'll probably just sit down and cry.

I left Aquarine a seven year old. I return to Aquarine a twenty year old. I've changed so much both physically and mentally on my journey, so I know that my friends have probably changed, too, as is the will of time.

It looks like Aquarine has changed, too. I can see a new house off in the distance, there are some new patches of flowers that weren't here before, and some of the yellow paint on my roof is chipping off. Even though I'm all the way over at the train station, I can still see the paint meekly clinging to the roof.

I go down the stairs of the train station and turn towards the map on the old wooden boards. It's been so long since I've been here that I scarcely remember what the town even looks like. I need to reacquaint myself with the surroundings. It shouldn't be too hard, I think I recognize the placement of some of these houses.

It's only a matter of seconds before I'm able to point out Bob's house on the map. I rush down the hill as fast as my legs will carry me, stopping at the purplish-white house. I've found Bob's home. The lights are on, so it looks like he's inside. I knock on the door and, without waiting for a response, quickly see myself in.

Bob's house is completely different. No longer is it decked out with kiddie furniture. Instead, the furniture has been replaced with a more classic style, so I think Bob has matured a bit since the last time I saw him. I scan the room and sure enough, I spot Bob along with Leopold sitting in front of a widescreen television. I feel my heart speed up.

"Bob! Leopold!" I call, ignoring the tears that are threatening to build up in my eyes.

They turn their heads around immediately, though I've been waiting for this moment for so long that it almost looks like slow-motion.

Leopold looks like he's seen a ghost, and his mouth is hanging open as if he's trying to say something. Bob has the exact same level of shock on his face, but he manages to pull himself together. "Charla?!"

Leopold quickly flicks off the television and the pair run over to greet me, still completely aghast. Without any words exchanged between us, we all embrace in a group hug.

After pulling away, the pair looks me up and down. "What happened to you, lion cub?" Leopold asks.

That's all I need. I begin the story of how I managed to warp into a completely alternate dimension without Aquarine. I tell them about the struggles I'd faced, the cold nights of sleeping on the ground in the forest, the curiosities of other towns, and as I tell the story, I think of all the friends I'd made along the way.

 _Kitty._

 _Pompom._

 _Stu._

 _..._

 _Mitzi._

I push the pain out of my head. It feels so good to be back in Aquarine, but leaving Mitzi behind was a heartbreaking choice I'll never forget. After all those years looking out for me while I was in a coma, she helped me through the trying times of being stuck in an alternate dimension, and just like that, I was gone. Out of her life.

Mitzi reminds me of Daisy. They're both selfless, benevolent, and they both love helping others.

The thoughts of Daisy remind me that I have yet to greet her.

After concluding my story, I wait and gauge the reactions of Bob and Leopold. They pull me in for another group hug, one that tells me that they believe my story and that they're overjoyed to have me back. "Let's go find Daisy," I meekly suggest. I feel Bob and Leopold shift uncomfortably in the hug. They almost immediately pull away, somber looks on their faces.

"What's wrong?" I ask, my face paling.

"The thing about that...all those years ago when you were about to get on that train for Port Sea, Daisy may or may not have approached you with a worried look on her face. Am I right or am I wrong?" Bob rhetorically asks. I nod. "The reason she didn't tell you what was wrong was because she didn't want to ruin your trip. There's really no way to put this lightly, but I'll do the best I can," Leopold chimes in, an evident frown on his face. "Daisy was planning to move away ten days after your trip."

Once again, I'm filled with the agony of shock, but Bob picks up where Leopold left off. "Daisy's grandmother was gravely ill, and her mother wanted her to be close to the family so if anything like that happened again, Daisy would be nearby," He took a deep breath before beginning again. "She knew your trip would last a week tops, so she wanted to tell you immediately when you got back so you'd be able to spend the last three days together before the big move."

Leopold nodded and put a hand on my should when he noticed my eyes beginning to swell with tears. "We all went to the train station to welcome you back, but when the train arrived and you didn't step off..." He went silent, closing his eyes. "Daisy practically had a heart attack. She begged Porter to tell her where you were, but he said he'd lost track of the particular train you'd ridden to Port Sea. You had seemingly disappeared from existence entirely."

Bob nods. "We made posters letting everyone know you were lost. When you didn't turn up after about a month, we started sending them to towns across the globe. None of them had ever even heard of you. When we sent a letter to Daisy telling her that you didn't turn up, she was hysterical. Her neat handwriting was reduced to illegible chicken scratch, and there were visible crumples in the paper where her tears had fallen. I wish we could tell her you made it home okay, but we lost contact with her about three or four years ago," Bob explains.

My friends stop explaining what's gone on for a few moments and comfort me. I'm pretty sure my jacket is soaked with tears by now, and I can tell my face is red and my eyes are puffy. I always was an ugly crier.

We suddenly hear a knock. "Oh! That reminds me. We have another guest coming over, someone you remember," Bob gives a sad smile. "Who is it? Tom?" I ask. Bob and Leopold give each other a sheepish look. "Err...no, but it _is_ another cat," Leopold tells me. The door opens a second later.

 _Mitzi._

"Sorry I'm late! My cookies were taking a bit longer to bake in the oven than expected, mew!" Mitzi exclaims, holding out a basket of cookies for all of us to see. "Oh! Cookies!" Bob's face lights up like a Christmas tree. Leopold gives him a look, and Bob clears his throat. "Actually, why don't you set those on the counter. Leopold and I have a quick errand to run. In the meantime, why don't you two get to know each other?" Bob smiles as he walks out, Leopold casting me a knowing glance as he too walks out the door.

I turn back to Mitzi. My friend. My angel.

I'm suddenly overcome with sorrow. This is Mitzi, but she doesn't remember me. She doesn't _know_ me. The old Mitzi is gone, living in another Slot Card.

"Hello! I'm Mitzi. What's your name?" Mitzi asks, a kind smile appearing on her face. "I'm...Charla," I reply, at a loss for words. She looks like she's processing the name for a second. I hope she's going to remember me, but my hopes are in vain. "That's a pretty name, Charla," She smiles yet again.

I chuckle softly, though I'm still stinging from the fact that she doesn't know me. "Thank you, it means a lot," I reply, walking over to the couch and sitting down, Mitzi joining me afterwards. "I have a feeling that this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship," Mitzi declares.

"Heh...me too, Mitzi."

 **A/N: Here it is! The end! I was actually hoping to wrap this story up in about a week, but I'm a busy person and an accomplished procrastinator, so it took a little over a month. Oh well. Hope you're not too disappointed! Be sure to leave a comment to let me know what I should do better next time or continue doing. Thanks for reading!**


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